My first ride on the heritage trail was on Ricardo Viva roadie running 27x1 1/4 tyres. Two sections were slightly more difficult:The cutting into Glen Forrest going uphill, and downhill the exposed railway ballast once in John Forrest National Park.The tunnel is always fun regardless of which bike you're running.Larger cross-section tyres do make it easier

I grew up out that way and used to ride a ladies 3-speed with something around 30mm tyres (Can't quite remember but certainly narrower than 35mm and wider than 25mm ) along the railway reserve and all through John Forrest. Rarely had to get off and push along the Railway path, and was usually due to the blue metal rather than the pea gravel, and they've removed a lot of this.

You can do most of it on a roadie easily. While it is gravel much of the surface is surprising smooth. Being an old rail track the grades are very mild. The worst of it is on the north side through the national park, the tunnel is rough, dark and can be wet. You'd probably want to walk a roadie through there (or take the route that goes around it). My review of it is here

Anyone know what kind of time you're looking at for a return journey of the full track (out to Worooloo and back). From memory its about 57km so I'm thinking around 4 hours depending on how often you were to stop. Thinking of giving my CX bike a christening with a ride out there.

I did this ride today 110km round trip from Woodlands on my Alan CX bike. I would echo what others have said and would say you could do it on a road bike.As Robertfirth has described in his great review the Nth section has an area of about 3-5kms that would give some trouble to road bikes.

Its not the pea gravel being soft that is the problem or excess use of this area, rather the fact that the base consists mostly of rail base rocks. You know those pointy edge ones . Even on the Alan I had to take extra caution through this section but it does only last for those 5ks or so.

I went up the nth side then down the south side, the easterly was a PITA getting there but great comming home. The only other section that may be a problem was between Darlington and Boya. The pea gravel had a few extra soft sections here (this would only be a hassle if going east west). Overall a great ride on the CX and will do again in the next few weeks as prep for my Kep track run. I will also hook up the GoPro and take some vid of the good and bad sections.

I did notice two water fountains on the Nth side, basically on the track so could you top up water on your trip. Also if doing this on a road bike there are tarmac roads beside most of the track which would enable you to bail to the tarmac if needed.

A few pics only had a crappy phone camera with me next time will shoot some of the scenic nth side but was pressed for time.

I rode part of this trail yesterday as well, picking the trail up at Swan View and out to Parkerville - on my steel frame tourer with 35mm (1.4") slick tyres. No problems except going through the railway tunnel - just had to see if it could be done.... it can, but it wasn't fun. Wouldn't recommend the tunnel on anything less than MTB tyres. The rest was just fine and a very nice ride.

Sprocket wrote:I rode part of this trail yesterday as well, picking the trail up at Swan View and out to Parkerville - on my steel frame tourer with 35mm (1.4") slick tyres. No problems except going through the railway tunnel - just had to see if it could be done.... it can, but it wasn't fun. Wouldn't recommend the tunnel on anything less than MTB tyres. The rest was just fine and a very nice ride.

yeah went through yesterday - the surface is quite lumpy - like rocks that have been glued down?

Hi,I am heading out for my first venture riding the heritage trail sometime early this week. I currently have a set of Conti City Contacts tyres (28 x 1 3/8 x 1 5/8) on my 29er, but have a spare set of Maxxis MTB tyres that came with my bike when I originally purchased it. Will the Conti's be suitable for the terrain on the trail or should i swap to the Maxxis'.Here is a link showing what the conti city contacts look like. http://www.cellbikes.com.au/Continental ... -Bike-Tyre

Any recommendations as to where to start the trail and park my vehicle (safe area) ?

conche wrote:Hi,I am heading out for my first venture riding the heritage trail sometime early this week. I currently have a set of Conti City Contacts tyres (28 x 1 3/8 x 1 5/8) on my 29er, but have a spare set of Maxxis MTB tyres that came with my bike when I originally purchased it. Will the Conti's be suitable for the terrain on the trail or should i swap to the Maxxis'.Here is a link showing what the conti city contacts look like. http://www.cellbikes.com.au/Continental ... -Bike-Tyre

Any recommendations as to where to start the trail and park my vehicle (safe area) ?

Your comments are appreciated

I would fit the Maxxis MTB tyres but I suspect you could do it on the City Contacts. I did it today on Maxxis MTB tyres.

Today I parked at Sculpture Park in Mundaring (nice toilets)

On Sundays I have parked at Bellevue Returned Services Community & Sporting Club, : Purton Place, Bellevue WA 6056

Hi guys and girls - I live very close to the heritage trail and make use of it on a mountain bike that is too small for me (wifes bike) but still a bit of fun. I have a roadie that i ride on the tarmac on and just rebuilding an old kuwahara pro series 2000. That has 23s on it at the moment but would have thought 23s would be pretty awful on the trail. I know 28s would probably go on the bike. I was recommended 35's by the LBS but they didnt fit the bike, rubbing on the brake. I would think about a 30 to 32 depending on the tyre would fit - but just seeing if anyone has put bigger tyres on an old road bike (circa probably 1996/1997 something like that) and can give me an idea of what has fit on other peoples bikes. Yes selling it off and buying a cyclocross or something similiar would be the smart option, but I'd like to give it a crack on bigger tyres. ALso anyone done the trail on 28s recently?

I ride the trail at least once a week as my office is at the base of the hill. I use 3 different types of bikes, but i have problems with pinch flats on my CX bike with 35mm tires on it. Its the section of John Forrest national park where the bridges have been renovated and they have stirred up all the old railway blue metal.I run a good amount of pressure but descending the trail at speed, narrow tires cant handle these type of rocks.I use a 26" hardtail (29" would be better) with 2.0 and run 40+ PSI

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